Relaxation
by Cumberbatch Critter
Summary: Being a part of Organization XIII may not be particularly peaceful, but it was important for them to relax when they got the chance. Chapter Two: Axel gives Roxas a back massage. Perceived as you like: no implied slash but as with a massage, there's physical contact.
1. Clouds

**Relaxation**

"You need to _relax_," Axel commented, bumping his shoulder against Roxas's. "You know, you didn't even know what to do with our day off."

Roxas glanced away from the sunset, head tipping towards his friend. "I don't know _how_ to relax. I was 'born' into doing missions each day," he muttered. "So I don't know what to do for free time besides have ice cream." He took a bite of his ice cream, letting the salty-sweet flavour melt over his tongue.

"Having free time doesn't necessarily mean you're relaxing. I slept the whole day that day and I'd never been more relaxed since I joined up," Axel said, folding his arms behind his head and leaning backwards to pitch backwards onto the clock tower landing. "Sleep too long, stay in your pyjamas all day, read or draw or listen to music or... I don't know, even watch the clouds. You don't have to do anything special to relax."

Roxas twisted around, looking at him. "That doesn't sound like something you'd say."

"Heh. Come on, Roxas, you shouldn't _expect_ me to say anything," Axel replied. "Come on, lay back here, look at the clouds." He patted the spot next to him.

Roxas frowned. "Why?"

"Come on, Roxas," Axel retorted. "It's good for you. Being so worked up will lead to an early death."

Roxas rolled his eyes and took the last bite of his ice cream before laying back next to Axel. "... What am I supposed to be looking for?" he asked, looking up at the clouds wisping by.

"I didn't say you had to look for anything. Just watch them. Relax."

Roxas stared up at the clouds. He didn't really know what he was meant to be looking for, or at really. He wasn't even sure what clouds were made out of. Air particles? Water droplets? Neither or both? There was a breeze today and it pushed the clouds lazily across the darkening blue expanse. Roxas's eyes chased them briefly before settling on another.

Shortly, though, his eyelids felt too heavy to keep them open to follow the progress of the clouds. The wing rustled his hair and his coat, casting a cool likeness over his body in the hot summer sun. He yawned and let his eyelids flutter shut.

* * *

At least he got the kid to settle down and relax once, Axel thought, but it was getting late and they were due back to the Castle. They'd already been up here longer than usual; Saїx had wanted to talk but Axel didn't want to talk to _him_, so he'd hung around here with Roxas, but... they really ought to get back to their rooms.

"Well," he said, pulling his legs up under himself and sitting up. "I think it's time that we head back to the Castle, don't you... think...?" he trailed off, looking at Roxas.

The blonde's eyes were closed, one arm beneath his head and the other draped across his chest. His hair was windswept into his face.

"... Roxas?" Axel asked quietly.

No response was forthcoming and a smile broke across Axel's face. Roxas had said it was stupid but here he'd fallen asleep. Clearly, he _did_ know how to relax, if he was given a little bit of a pointer.

Axel carefully slipped his arm behind Roxas's shoulder and beneath his legs, pulling him into his arms as he stood.

Roxas shifted slightly. "... Hrmm?"

"Shh. We're just going back to the Castle," Axel said.

"Mmm..." Roxas nestled his face into the crook where Axel's arm met his body, sighing tiredly as he drifted off again.

Axel chuckled to himself and drew forth a dark corridor, tightening his grip around Roxas only infinitesimally.

* * *

**This started out being something else, but I decided to make it multi!chapter, despite the fact that there doesn't seem to be many people following Axel/Roxas fanfiction... So, the part I was working on will be next chapter or so. So, yes, a series of vignettes involving Axel and Roxas, friendship or slash (I'll designate when it's slash for those who don't like it) in calm moments... basic fluff, you know.**

**I do not own _Kingdom Hearts_ - thank Square Enix for that. I appreciate all favs/follows/reviews immensely. Thank you!**


	2. Massage

"You're _tense_, man."

Roxas frowned, looking over his shoulder at Axel. "What?"

Axel had clapped his hands onto Roxas's shoulders as he had delivered one of his lines of snarky humour, but hadn't taken them away. "You're tense." He squeezed slightly. "How can you even _walk_?"

"I don't know. I can't relax. It's taken two days on the Leechgrave and I can't afford to fail again tomorrow," Roxas muttered, trying to shrug Axel's hands off.

"Hey, I've got an idea."

Roxas sighed. "Not right now, Axel."

Axel gripped his shoulder. "Nope, this is an intervention. Come on. Then you can go back to doing whatever it is you were going to do." He grabbed his arm and started walking.

Roxas stumbled to keep up with Axel's long-legged stride. "Axel, stop it. I want to get a shower and-"

"Yeah, in a minute."

Roxas huffed, noting that the path they were taking led back to his room. Oh well. He had to get his pyjamas, anyway. Hopefully he could wriggle away from Axel and escape to the shower before the mad redhead succeeded in whatever his plan was.

"Alright, in, take off your clothes."

Roxas did a double take up at the redhead. "What?"

Axel made a _tch _noise, letting go of his arm. "Fine, just your shirt then, if you're worried about it. Take your shirt off and get on the bed."

"_Why_?" Roxas asked incredulously.

"Trust me," Axel said fluidly, thumping Roxas on the back. "Shirt, bed, I'll be right back. And don't try to sneak off... I'll pull you naked out of the shower," he vowed, humour flickering in his eyes.

Roxas stared after him as he left. Somehow... he didn't think Axel was lying when he said that. His tenacity was... frightening.

With a sigh, Roxas pulled his shirt off and flopped into bed face-first. He didn't know what Axel was planning and he really didn't _care_, actually... He just wanted to _sleep_ and get back out to Halloween Town and finish off that stupid Leechgrave before Saїx finished _him_ off.

"Good," Axel said as he stepped back in the room. "I thought you were going to fight me."

"I've been fighting all day," Roxas mumbled, opening his eyes. "I'm too tired to fight you, too."

Axel had ditched his coat and was carrying a bottle in hand, something Roxas couldn't identify from the side glance. "Good," the redhead said, crawling onto the bed next to him. "Just trust me here, and don't freak out."

Roxas sighed. "Just tell me what you're going to do."

Axel popped the lid on the bottle and poured some of the stuff onto his hands. "I'm going to give you a massage."

Roxas blinked slowly. "... What...?"

"A massage. It'll help you relax. This'll be cool. It's massage oil."

Roxas flinched as the oil hit his back. "Axel, this is weird."

"Relax," Axel reminded, capping the bottle. "Don't worry about it."

"Do you give massages to everyone else in the Organization...?" Roxas muttered, shifting slightly as Axel's legs straddled either of his hips. "And d'you have to sit on me?"

Axel laughed. "No, I don't give out massages and no, I don't have _to_, and technically, I'm not, but it's easier. I can get to the pressure points easier."

Roxas sighed, which turned into a gasp of surprise when Axel dug his long fingers into the place beneath his shoulder blades. "Oww! Axel!"

"Uh huh. Now how about we get rid of that pain?" Axel replied calmly, his fingers working small circles to chase away the remainders of the shock of pain he'd just caused. "You shouldn't be feeling pain at all, which proves my point: you're way too uptight."

Roxas sighed softly and let his eyes close. "Maybe, but... ngh. Do you have to be so _rough_?"

Axel laughed again. "Hey, Roxas, don't say that _too_ loud."

Roxas frowned slightly without opening his eyes. "Why not?"

Axel's demanding fingers paused, spread out against the small of his back and the fingertips just curling his side. "... Well, our positions, obviously."

"Positions...? You're... important, but I'm just the Keyblade Master," Roxas mumbled thickly.

"Key- no, that's not..." he trailed off, laughing softly. "Oh man, Roxas. You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

Roxas pried his eyes open. "... What?"

There was a huff of laughter. "Nevermind." His fingers started to rub those circles back on Roxas's back. "Just forget it. Someone might explain... some day."

"Explain what?"

Sharp pain, sharp yet dull, really, shot through Roxas as Axel - purposefully, Roxas thought - dug in his fingers into another point on his back. He shifted a bit, biting back a moan. It hurt in a good way. Axel's hands were talented.

"Just relax," Axel reminded.

Roxas huffed quietly but let his eyes close again. Axel was keeping something from him, but he wasn't sure what. And he was too tired to worry about it and vaguely aware of parts of his body relaxing that he didn't even know _could_.

He succumbed to sleep without ever learning the 'big secret' Axel had hinted.

* * *

**a) Because the Leechgrave was enough to make anyone tense.  
b) Roxas is so innocent here. *o*  
c) I wanted to do Axel giving a massage for awhile... I think I may have a thing for men with beautiful hands and massages. (Aka, Sherlock and Axel. Although I don't really know if Axel has beautiful hands since it's a video game, but I picture he has really nice hands. And they're talented. At things.)  
**

**Still don't own _Kingdom Hearts_. The boys would have had on-screen cuddles if I did. Thank you!**


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